Williams homers in win

Published: Saturday, May 18, 2013 at 12:08 AM.

“Even when we got behind early, we always believed we could come back,” Williams said. “Coach Smith always tells us to keep our focus and good things will happen.”

Starting SL pitcher Sandlin and reliever Mattie Beyer combined to limit the Wolfpack to six hits. Sandlin surrendered four in four innings of work, and Beyer gave up just two in the final three frames.

Beyer earned the win and retired eight in a row at one point.

“I’m just so proud of this team,” Smith said. “We’ve battled back and regrouped when we had to and played extremely well overall. This season has been a joy and I’m so glad we get to keep playing.”

DEEP RUN — Errors, the bugaboo that has plagued South Lenoir in its three losses, reared their ugly head Friday in the first inning of the Blue Devil’s third round 2A playoff game against Whiteville.

No problem. Enter Brianna Williams.

After two miscues led to pair of unearned runs for the visiting Wolfpack, Williams took matters into her own hands offensively.

The sophomore catcher ripped a two-run double in the third and then blasted her first career varsity home run, a tie-breaking two-run shot to left that energized the Devils and paved the way to SL’s 10-2 victory.

The win sends the Devils (21-3) to a fourth round matchup at West Bladen (24-2), which blanked Eastern Randolph 2-0 on Friday.

“We were a little nervous at the start, but then we settled down and played our game,” SL coach Lisa Smith said. “Bree (Williams) kind of jump started us and got the whole team going.”

With the Devils trailing 2-0 and two down in the bottom of the third, Williams, who had struck out in her first at-bat, lashed a bullet into the left-center field gap, tallying Cassidy Willoughby from third and Madison Herring from second.

The score remained tied until the fifth. After Madison Herring lined out sharply to left field, Morgan Mentz followed with a triple to deep center, bringing Williams to the plate.

“I was hoping to get a hit or a fly ball so Morgan could score,” Williams said. “I was only trying to make solid contact.”

That she did, belting a 2-1 pitch over the left field fence, her well-timed first home run.

“Bree hit both of those balls (the double and home run) very hard,” Smith said. “Once she started hitting, everyone else did to.”

SL blew the game open with a six-run sixth, courtesy of five hits. Meredith Sanderson smacked a two-RBI double, Taylor Sandlin knocked in a pair with a base hit up the middle, Madison Herring contributed a sacrifice fly, and another run came home on one of Whiteville’s two errors in the decisive frame.

South Lenoir finished with 12 hits, two each by Williams and Mentz, all for extra bases, and three by Haley Daniels.

“Even when we got behind early, we always believed we could come back,” Williams said. “Coach Smith always tells us to keep our focus and good things will happen.”

Starting SL pitcher Sandlin and reliever Mattie Beyer combined to limit the Wolfpack to six hits. Sandlin surrendered four in four innings of work, and Beyer gave up just two in the final three frames.

Beyer earned the win and retired eight in a row at one point.

“I’m just so proud of this team,” Smith said. “We’ve battled back and regrouped when we had to and played extremely well overall. This season has been a joy and I’m so glad we get to keep playing.”